Dumalo sina Sid Lucero at Cogie Domingo sa premiere showing ng Muli, ang pinagbibidahan nilang gay love story indie film na idinirek ni Direk Adolf Alix Jr., sa Main Theatre ng Cultural Center of the Philippines last July 17.
Sa paglabas na lang ng teatro pagkatapos ng screening nagkita sina Sid at Cogie, na gumaganap bilang lovers sa pelikula. At kahit na may TV cameras sa paligid, walang malisyang nagyakapan ang dalawang batang aktor nang makita ang isa't isa. Game na game na hinalikan pa ni Sid sa pisngi ang comebacking actor, na ikinatuwa ng lahat ng tao sa CCP lobby.
Sa panayam ng PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) kay Sid pagkatapos ng premiere showing, in high spirits pa siya dahil walang humpay na pagbati ang kanyang tinanggap sa mahusay na performance niya sa pelikula.
MOST DARING GAY ROLE. Napanood si Sid sa past films niya tulad ng Selda (2007), kung saan may daring scenes din siya tulad ng pagbo-blow job niya sa isang eksena, at sa Manay Po 2: Overload (2008) bilang gay partner ni Polo Ravales.
Pero ang gay role ni Sid sa Muli ang masasabing "pinaka-daring." Ilang ulit ang butt exposure niya rito, at marami rin siyang bed scenes kung saan ipinakita pa ang iba't ibang positions ng pakikipagtalik ng dalawang lalake.
"So far, this is the most daring. Parang hanggang dito na lang 'ata, e!" tumatawang simula ni Sid.
Wala ba silang naging inhibitions ni Cogie sa kanilang maiinit na love scenes?
"In the beginning, meron... Pero it became so much easier, e. He's a fantastic actor. Cogie is so professional. In fact, I mean, no bullshit, I'm sorry, pardon my word, pero... It was him and Baron [Geisler], they were the two actors who actually made me think of wanting to join [showbiz].
"And to have been given the chance to be able to work with him was such an honor. I thought, I was scared. Pero nung nagkakilala na kami, we started joking around, the job became much easier and easier."
Maliban kay Cogie, may love scenes din si Sid sa tatlo pang male characters sa Muli—sina Arnold Reyes, Rocky Salumbides, at sa isa pang baguhang aktor mula sa Baguio.
Ayon kay Sid, kakaunti lang ang ginawa nilang preparation para sa kanyang role bilang mapagmahal na gay teacher sa Baguio City, at si Cogie bilang isang closet gay lawyer.
"The preparation was days lang," banggit niya. "Kasi, there was with Arnold, and then there was with Rocky, and yung sa isa pang guy, tapos kay Cogie... Ang magandang part doon, habang every day that we're shooting with a different guy, parang I get more comfortable.
"Medyo nakakatakot ang feeling, pero parang nakakalimutan ko ang sarili ko, a! Parang, 'Direk, bakit parang ang dali nang gawin nito?' Di na ako nahihiya!" malakas nitong halakhak.
Sabi namin, malamang dahil "in character" siya habang nagsu-shooting?
"Not really," sagot ni Sid. "It's their character, you know. I can't say na I'm in character... Wow, sobrang pro [professional] ko naman nun... Hindi naman sa gano'n. It's just that I'm doing my job and I love my job and if this is what has to be done, then so be it!"
LOVE KNOWS NO GENDER. Ano ang kaibahan ng paghahandang ginawa niya sa gay character niya dito sa Muli, na tumakbo ang kuwento ng pag-ibig mula noong 1960s hanggang pagtanda nila ni Cogie?
"It's the same. I just thought about it as, basically... It's about love, right? And if you love a person, it doesn't matter if the person is a man or a woman. Love knows no gender, technically, right? So, why not? It's true. Wala namang pinagkaiba, e. Ako nga lang yung bumukaka [sa love scene]!" tawa niya.
Sa totoong buhay, may naging gay indecent proposals na ba siyang natanggap?
"No, never," mabilis niyang tugon. "Never, never, never! I don't think they will."
Why not?
"I'm sure naman they know what kind of attitude I have, and my dad [actor Mark Gil] has exploded a couple of times, and I don't think they'd want me. I don't wanna take on that with someone too!" tawa ni Sid.
Ano ang pinakamahirap na eksenang ginawa niya for this film?
"There are a lot of heavy scenes. There is a part where Roland dies, and he comes in, it was really hard, coz it was really hard to cry and feel if you have not have enough sleep.
"Direk Adolf kasi knows me kasi like at the back of his mind, e. So I know what he's supposed to get. And me naman, I know exactly kung ano ang gusto niya, pero hindi ko lang talaga ma-deliver. e. There were times...
"I guess, kasi, it was time constraint, e. We had to do the movie in eight days. Then, it rained. The other actors couldn't make it, so we had to adjust and everything like that. I guess, more than any of the scenes, it's the time pressure which made it a lot more difficult, and the weather in Baguio is really unpredictable."
At ang kontrobersiyal na love scenes niya with Cogie?
"The controversial love scenes in this country... Every love scene is controversial! And so, are we not tired of that yet? It's true naman, e!" natatawang sambit ni Sid.
LAST GAY ROLE. Hindi ba siya takot na ma-typecast sa gay o bisexual roles?
"No," sagot niya. "I don't believe in typecasting. I agree with my manager who doesn't believe also in typecasting. You did this role, did it good, they'd ask you to do it again. You have a choice naman not to do it again, e. You do what you wanna do."
Pero sa kanyang personal and official Twitter account, nag-tweet si Sid announcing na hindi na raw siya tatanggap ng gay roles dahil inamin nitong nagsasawa na siya at hindi na natsa-challenge dito.
Noong July 18 ng gabi, dalawang magkabukod na tweets ang i-pinost ng aktor:
"Official announcement: As of today onwards I will no longer take on anymore gay films. I've done enough. No more na please. Thank you.
"Apologies to my followers who enjoy my gay roles, but I feel I've done so many na nakakasawa na. I don't get challenged by them anymore. I want another challenge. Tapos na ang chapter sa gay roles. Iba naman!"
REGULAR CINEMAS. Ngayong Miyerkules, August 4, 6 p.m. showing ulit ang Muli, na sinulat ng Palanca-award winning writer na si Jerry Gracio, sa UP Cine Adarna ng UP Diliman, Quezon City.
Umaasa si Sid na maipapalabas ang Muli sa regular cinemas at hindi lamang sa mga tanghalan tulad ng CCP at UP Cine Adarna.
"Hopefully, yes, maipalabas siya commercially, if the MTRCB will be receiving it well. Coz, I remember, yung Aurora [his film with Rosanna Roces, also directed by Adolf Alix Jr.], which was not at all... It was far from this, was double-X'd.
"I don't know... There's something wrong with MTRCB. I hope Direk will be given more time to render it and finish it up coz kulang talaga sa oras when we shown it here, e. Sana ma-retain siya. If there are some cuts, then, hopefully, the story won't change.
"Sana. That's the problem with the indies, e. They allow it in film festivals but in main cinemas, they don't. But at least, it pays off coz people around the world are able to watch and honor it," sabi niya.
May iba pa ba siyang roles na gustong magampanan in the future?
"I would think about that. What I love with the relationship with my manager [Ricky Gallarado] is that he just presents me with whatever role that comes to him, and then he gives me a choice. Then, if I feel I like it, then I like it.
"If I don't like it, I talk to him, and then if he says it's a good move, then we do it. But in terms of kung anuman yung gusto kong gawin, kung puwede nga lang lahat, e, di lahat!" tawa niya.